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Continents
Auplica is made up of four major continents. It is inhabited by a range of races. Inhabitants of Auplica are known as Auplicae (singular Auplicai). History Legend has it that long ago, Auplica was made up of only one continent (referred to as "Auplica Phitara", or in the common tongue, "The First of Auplica"), with all inhabitants living together in peace and unison. This was a time of such prosperity that those living in Auplica grew arrogant. They no longer needed the gods and cast them out of belief, turning their temples into grand houses and other buildings. This angered the gods, who, in a fit of rage, struck down at Auplica, dividing Auplica Phitara into four separate continents. Over time, they slowly drifted apart, and with this division came discord and strife among the Auplicae, with each race blaming the others for the destruction. Whether this is true or not is the matter of great disagreement amongst scholars, but what is clear is that since then, Auplica has never again seen peace. Auplica Phitios The largest of the continents, Auplica Phitios ("The First/Primary of Auplica") also contains the capital city, Claovaria. The continent is towards the north of Auplica and often considered the centre, much to the discontent of those who have been banished to the outlying continents. Inhabitants of Phitios are referred to as Phitiae (singular Phitiai). Various other cities also can be found in Phitios, notably Eplein (and the Epleiin Lakes) and Cleycia Swar, across the Swar Pass from Croyra Swar. Traversing Phitios can be perilous, as the centre of the continent is made up of the Karvrk Wetlands, Brookforte Plains, and Thundering Woods, any of which can quickly come to take the life of an unprepared traveller. For that reason, there is a good trade for those willing to cross the continent to pass on messages or deliver goods, or to guide others across. Phitios technically also includes the Iron Isles, although those living on the Isles do not widely consider themselves Phitiae. Bradāori Found to the western part of Auplica, Bradāori is a rocky continent. Its difficult terrain often catches non-Dwarfs, Giants, and Goblins out, and the oppressive heat of southern Bradāori can quickly overcome an ill-prepared non-native. To the south is the mining city of Udros, found beside the Mines of Udros. Udros is surrounded by the Udros Mountains, making it very difficult to reach by sea or land. This natural fortification makes Udros an isolated but prosperous city, with trade deals established exclusively with Notcana and Whitehaven for the precious ores found in the Mines of Udros. Notcana and Cana are the other two major cities in Bradāori, found at opposite ends of the Cana River, and requiring one to cross the Notcana Bridge to pass between. An age old rivalry between the towns, spurred by their opposing agricultural lifestyles, has led to the current uneasy tensions. They aren't at war, but it wouldn't take much to push them that far. Towards the north is the Uroda Caves. Inhabited primarily by Giants banished from Phitios, one would be ill-advised to venture here without very good reason. In the far north is found the jewel of Bradāori's crown: Farnisle Grove. Vleka In the south of Auplica, Vleka is a haven for aspiring spellcasters. The Achary Academy, to the east of Achary, is the hub of magical research in Auplica - although too-frequent damage from inexperienced spellcasters does lead to some tensions between residents of Achary and the academics. One of the major ports of Auplica can be found in the western part of Vleka: the city of Whitehaven is a bustling fishing town which prides itself on importing and exporting the majority of Auplica's goods, including trading with Udros. The Vackoris Grasslands, a vast expanse of trees and field strewn with the wreckage of the Battle of Vackoris, once made travelling across Vleka very easy. Unfortunately, the plentiful hiding spots made the Grasslands a prime spot for petty thieves and highway robbers to practise their crimes. These crimes are often (wrongfully) attributed to the residents of Hgkor, a primarily Goblin-inhabited city north of the Achary Academy. Around the outskirts of Phitios and Vleka lie the Swarvlek Villages: a fascinating case study in the way those from different continents can share resources and work in unity. The sea between the villages is known as Swarvlek Gulf, representing an important method of travel between the villages. Autur To the east of Auplica, Autur is primarily inhabited by Elvish and human populations. To the south, one can find the Bay of Swarvlek, a large beach surrounded by the Caves of Haverberg. Legend has it smugglers and pirates once used them to hide treasure before smuggling it up to Croyra Swar and other cities in Autur, but it's difficult to say how much truth is in these rumours. In the centre of the continent lies Zestari, the root town for those with a bond with the Great Thief. Zestari is a simple, almost rural town, as not many are chosen by Rhaw. Those who inhabit this city have to be streetwise, as many of the Valerian Elves who inhabit this town are cunning and sneaky, so it's best to keep your wits about you and be careful with your coins otherwise the shopkeeps will get the best of you. The people who live here are often loner types, with very few families being raised in this town. Rivalries often kick up between elves here, as Rhaw's (The Great Thief) actions were muddied after the Great War, when Rhaw broke ranks from the other Patron Elves once the Elves were driven from the shores of Swaevlek. A small shrine to the God of Fortune, Lidon, is built in this town, though it is poorly maintained, ad many chosen by the Great Thief have little faith in the gods of old. Theres also some other towns but i cant be arsed to write about those yet. Cleycia Swar's twin city, Croyra Swar, lies in the north. Its link to Cleycia Swar goes back at least to the Third Era. The towns share trade and knowledge, and inhabitants of either town can be buried in the Croyra Graveyard.